Posted Fri Feb 09 23:30:00 EAT 2018

DCI boss Kinoti hopes to promote efficiency with new rules

Mr George Kinoti, now the Directorate of Criminal Investigations boss, addresses a media meeting at Hilton Hotel on August 2, 2017. Detectives have been warned against laxity. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

By FRED MUKINDA

In Summary

Heads of Investigations at regional headquarters will henceforth give weekly updates of serious crimes in their regions.

The DCI has also carried the unenviable tag of corruption perfected by the Kenya Police.

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The Directorate of Criminal Investigations is reviving probes into past unresolved murders and robberies amid claims of large scale crime cover-ups by rogue detectives.

A directive from the DCI headquarters to detectives at the counties and police divisions across the country warns of laxity in the arm of the National Police Service that specialises in fighting serious crime.

It gives stern warning to County Criminal Investigation Officers and Divisional Criminal Investigation Officers, who may be tempted to conceal unresolved past serious crimes.

Besides murders and robberies, the directive says all shootings must be reported to the headquarters, with accompanying notes that explain the measures taken to fast-track investigations.

“The DCI has noted some lapse in the accountability of above cases in their reporting, submission, investigations and follow ups.

"From the date of this signal all CCIOs and DCIOs will be directly accountable for all robberies occurring within their areas of responsibility,” it says.

PROSECUTIONThe communication, dated February 6, also gives timelines to ensure investigations are disposed of promptly and suspects charged in court.

“Each CCIO and DCIO will personally give the status of every such incidents that occur within their area every two weeks to DCI, with a copy to director of operations, the respective RCs (Regional commanders) and the CCIO will ensure compliance of this directive,” the signal also says.

Detectives in charge of counties and divisions will also be required to give an explanation in the event a case is not in court within six weeks after it is reported.

“Every case that remain PUI (Pending Under Investigation) for up to six weeks, a duplicate file will be submitted to DCI through the CCIO and RC, with an explanation as to why it has remained in that status for such period,” the directive also says.

SHOOTINGSIt adds: “Every case that remain PAKA (Pending Arrest of Known Accused) for one month the duplicate file must be forwarded to DCI without failure accompanied with an explanation.

"From the date of this statement, the DCI has directed there will be impromptu inspections from headquarters to ensure and confirm compliance with this directive.”

Mr George Kinoti took over the DCI from Mr Ndegwa Muhoro last month.

Besides murders and robberies, he has also ordered that all shootings that occur across Kenya must be reported to the headquarters.

“This will include shootings which occur in the course of such robberies and murders which occur as a result of those robberies. The status will indicate whether the case is in court, under investigation or at the stage of hunting for the suspects,” the reports adds.

UPDATESFurther as a result of the directive, heads of Investigations at regional headquarters, formally known as the provinces, will henceforth give weekly updates of serious crimes in their regions.

“All RCs to give weekly updates on all cases within their jurisdictions in form of a signal on status,” the document seen by the Saturday Nation reads.

It further warns: “Any DCIO or CCIO who will be found to have flouted or disregarded this directive will face serious administrative action.”

The signal, basically a memo to rank and file in security parlance, bears indications of efforts to redeem the investigations arm of the police that in its heyday was considered the best in Africa.

Many cases investigated by its detectives in recent past have been thrown out by courts after magistrates and judges cited shoddy investigations.

INQUESTAt times, the Directorate was at loggerheads with the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, because the latter kept on returning case files, after identifying loopholes in investigations.

The DCI has also found itself in an embarrassing situation where in spite of decades of experience, new State agencies formed after 2010 and with investigative powers have produced better cases in court.